The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1887-05-26
WHAT is OUR DUE.

Coarse freights always seek transpor-
tatlon by water. particularly when the
| distance is considerable. Ore, coal and
lumber viii always employ lake vessels
| for their carriage As Wisconsin lake
ports have a large coal and iron business,
little study of the map of the state Will
show the superior advantages of Mani
towoc as a shipping and receiving point,
to any other place on the lake board and
particularly any point on Lake Superior
First as to saving of distance: No place
offers better advantages for the location
of ore docks. The bluffs on the river
seem to have been designed by Nature
for this purpose; so that Ashland or Du-
luth has no point of superiority IN this
and the distance from Manitowoc to be
trayersed by vessels leaving either port
TO that point east of the Straits from
which the route to Lake Erie ports Is
common, be considered. 4 vessel leaving
Ashland bound for Lake Erie port must
go north 63 miles to double Keweenaw
Point. 1t is then III miles north of the
straits, or in order to reach the latitude
of the straits it has gone north and south
a distance of $50 miles. In addition to
this Ashland is 16S miles west of Mani
towoc. A vessel leaving Manitowoc bound
for Lake Erie port, has TO go 40 miles
northward to reach the latitude of the
straits. SO that with ore awaiting ship
ment from both places, that at ManitOwOc
Is nearer Lake Erie ports by 22S miles
than is that at Ashland. Omitting the
distance which Ashland is west of Mani
towoc which must be covered by rail,
there is a net saving of distance in favor
of Manitowoc of 60 miles.
But another very important advantage
enjoyed by Manitowoc is, that navigation
opens earlier in the spring and closes
later in the fall giving a season of lake
travel of at least four weeks longer dura-
ton, annually. With these advantages
in favor of Manitowoc, why is it not the
part of wisdom to build ore docks at this
place? 1t gives the Lake Shore & West
ern the advantage of a long haul and
without increasing the total cost of trans
portation Indeed unless figures lie, the
total cost is decreased. Shippers of ore
will readily perceive the advantage of
shipping by Manitowoc and will do so if
they are furnished the facilities. Besides
the large coal fleet will gladly give good
rates to secure back freight.
There is a moral obligation which should
fortify the business consideration. When
the road was first projected it received its
heartiest support from Manitowoc. 1t
had its inception here. 1t was the splen-
of a Manitowoc man, Mr.. Villas, which
made the road possible. When the road
was in its infancy, it was Manitowoc
which burdened itself with debt under
which it yet stumbles, to give assistance.
Later, it had reason to complain of Punic
faith on the part of the railroad company.
Its stock was made worthless by species
of legal legerdemain; it was stripped of
the machine shops; its railroad popula-
ton was made to desert it as if it were a
doomed city; and its waiting room at the
depot was converted into an eating house.
1t is willing to forgive everything for
fair business chance-a utilization of the
advantages it has in abundance for the
mutual benefit of itself and the railroad